Mayor May Call Shooting Board

Orlando Mayor Bill Frederick and Police Chief Fred Walsh are expected to announce today whether they will appoint a civilian panel to investigate a police officer's fatal shooting of a fleeing suspect last week.

Aides to Frederick and Walsh said both men were being deliberately secretive about their 11:15 a.m. news conference. Some said they think a board will be appointed.

Members of the black community have called for an independent citizen review board, as well as an outside law enforcement agency, to investigate Officer Curt Myhre's shotgun shooting of Keith Rozier at the Palms Apartments Friday.

Myhre, who is white, shot Rozier, who is black, in the back as he was chasing him through the complex. Another man told officers that Rozier had robbed him at gunpoint, but investigators said after the shooting that the man made up the story and charged him with perjury.

City council member Nap Ford said Wednesday he expects Frederick will announce the creation of a civilian board to review the shooting.

''I'm hopeful that he will do that, and I believe he will,'' Ford said. ''I don't think he would want to give the impression that there was any kind of cover-up.''

If he appoints a board, Frederick likely will face stiff opposition from the Orange County Police Benevolent Association, which represents Orlando police officers and sergeants.

The union's contract with the city states that ''no civilian dominated police disciplinary review board will be established in this city.''

Sources said that if a panel is appointed, it likely would not have any disciplinary powers. PBA president Joe Patterson said the union still opposes the creation of any civilian panel to investigate the shooting.

''We would definitely look to see if we have a breach of contract,'' Patterson said. ''If so, we would file a grievance and maybe seek a court order to stop the board from meeting until we could settle it.''

Patterson and several veteran police officers said they feel a citizen board would become bogged down in politics and emotion.

''I don't want to put civilians down, but they look at a different set of facts than we do,'' Patterson said. ''I think they would fail to limit their view to the facts that the officer had at the time and look at state law. They would be too emotional.''

Sources said Walsh tried to dissuade Frederick from creating a board but didn't know if he succeeded.

''There were a number of different options that were discussed,'' Mittiga said.

Police investigators are expected to forward their report of the shooting to the Orange-Osceola state attorney's office by the end of the week. State Attorney Robert Eagan said Tuesday he will either take the case to a grand jury or petition a county judge to hold a public inquest to decide if any criminal charges should be filed.

The police department will conduct a separate internal investigation as well. Myhre has been suspended with pay until the investigations are completed, which is standard practice in officer-involved shootings.

A group of black ministers who met with Frederick on Monday to request the citizen panel also asked to have the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigate the case. FDLE officials have said they will get involved if requested by local officials or ordered by the governor.